Anticipated Kitten Love
by For My Personal Pleasure
Summary: Working at a Host club in downtown Tokyo, Hikaru is searching for that one thing that everyone seems to have: Love. Nothing he does can cure this longing. Kaoru, a happy-go-lucky neko, is dealing with everything Life throws his way. What if Life decided to throw him a needy, love-deprived Host? Will he keep going and work past his growing feelings, or accept what's given to him?
1. Prologue

**Hello there! How are you today? Good? Well, it's about to get even better! You just clicked this new fanfic! *celebrates with confetti* Now, now. Don't get too excited. This is only the Prologue now, alright? Let's see how well this does and we'll carry on from there. 'Kay? Good. :)**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own OHSHC!**

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**Prologue**

_**Kyoya**_

The bubbly trill of flirtatious giggles wasn't something Kyoya particularly enjoyed after hours upon hours of utter silence in his study. It was loud and somewhat irritating, especially since it was made by swooning women that practically _draped_ themselves over their hosts. What made it even worse was that these said women were more than a little tipsy, making their actions more careless and sloppy. Their subtle flirting became more obvious with each swig of their glass; their kittenish paws at the hosts' arms were more frisky and demanding for attention.

_How_, his mind struggled for the right word, _repulsive_.

If it were up to him, Kyoya wouldn't have even bothered with such a thing as being apart of a ridiculous host club. Unfortunately, though, it hadn't been his decision to make at the time. Of course, he could've said no to his beloved partner's insane idea, but then where would he be? Certainly not making buckets upon buckets of money by the hour by simply entertaining lonely females. That much he knew for a fact.

It wasn't so much that he despised being apart of the Host club. No, that wasn't it. The Host club provided a decent amount of money, and then some, and even the little schemes and cosplay could be amusing sometimes.

The reason he detested being here at times was more of a personal issue.

His partner was a host here as well, one of the highest requested ones at that. Kyoya would be shamefully lying if he said he wasn't the least bit of jealous when he saw the traveling hands of his _princesses_ during happy hour.

Unintentionally, the Shadow King found himself raising his gaze from the alluring glow of his computer to the darkest corner of the room. Acknowledged by the faint glow of oil lamps sat a red booth, filling it were gushing and blushing women. They surrounded a charming blonde prince, marveling his captivating violet orbs and friendly appeal. In other words, his delightful partner, Tamaki Suoh.

Kyoya understood that entertaining beautiful - _and desperate_, he thought - women was just part of his duty as a host. Not to mention that it was something that he enjoyed. His lover took pride in making others happy, especially him. It was definitely a trait to be admired.

With a sigh, Kyoya took this time to relax and stretch, allowing his eyes wander towards the other hosts. All in all, there was a total of five hosts; all ranging in personalities, looks, and types. Each and every one of them were popular due to the variety of tastes their customers had.

It's quite impressive that, though they entertained women all night, all of them were gay. For the most part anyway, not including Haruhi - their undercover girl host. And on top of that, they managed to keep their loved one during all this time and make room for them in their busy schedule.

Well, except for Hikaru and Haruhi.

Once again, the Shadow King felt as though his eyes were dragged to the mischievous bartender serving drinks behind the counter. He watched silently as the boy with a smirk flipped champagne and wine bottles with expertise before pouring them into crystal glasses. The women on the bar stools clapped and were at awe at his little trick.

For a moment, Kyoya allowed himself to take pity on the boy. Out of all of them, aside from Haruhi, Hikaru was the only one without a lover, a partner, a companion. The only one without someone to love and adore and shower them with endless gifts.

_How long? _Kyoya asked himself. _How long before Hikaru decides to give up on the Host club to look for that one special one?_

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**Ta-da! And there you have it. The Prologue. How short. I know, I know. Not very informative or exciting, but we'll get there. I promise.**

**I'm not used to writing in Kyoya's POV, so I wouldn't mind getting a little feedback on how I did. That would be pretty nice:) A review would be very much appreciated please:)**

**-For My Personal Pleasure**


	2. Chapter 1

**Greetings~ I'm back! I know, I know. It almost took me a frickin' ****_month _****just to upload Chapter 1. -_- Yes, it's shameful of me, but I have a life, too, ya know! I had originally started this a week or two ago, but it was so slow moving and boring that I was just like, "To hell with this!" and deleted that. I started it again today and I managed to finish it! Don't worry, though. I plan on making these chapters longer. :)**

**Special Thanks To: ****_Reviews~_**

**Digidestined Ninja of Sunshine**

**and**

**PerfectingSilence**

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**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own OHSHC!**

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**Chapter 1**

_**Kaoru**_

"Are you gonna come with me on Friday to visit Takashi?" Honey-senpai asked, following behind him like a baby duck.

Kaoru adjusted the scarf around his neck absentmindedly as his eyes skimmed the summary on the back of a book he'd picked up. His ears twitched, catching the chirpy words of his friend. He wasn't really listening, though. He knew he should be, but he was growing tired of rereading the countless novels littering their apartment. He could probably write them word for word by now. He was in desperate need of a good, long book.

"Are you even listening to me?" Honey whined, causing his golden ears to flatten against his hair.

"Mm," Kaoru hummed. "You shouldn't be so loud." He patted the blonde on the head with his tail.

Sighing, Kaoru shook his head and set the book back down on the shelf before grabbing another. That one sounded too similar to one he's already read, and, if possible, more boring. What he needed was something that would completely capture his attention and keep him hooked, addicted even. Something that was always exciting and never predictable. Just _something_ was all he was asking for.

He was looking for something fictional, nothing real. He needed to get away from the real world for a little bit. Times were becoming hard now and nothing seemed to be going his way. He didn't let it bother him, but he couldn't help but want to get away, if just temporarily.

Out of all the genres he's read, Kaoru definitely preferred something along the lines of adventure and fantasy, like supernatural stuff. It was always different, but lately his tastes were being to differ, causing him to look for something beyond his comfort zone. It was definitely strange to him, but who was he to question his own tastes?

Ignoring the annoyed wails for attention from Honey, Kaoru walked down the aisle after abandoning the previous book. He glanced down each lane, passing the different types of books. When he finally came to the one he was looking for, he stopped. He felt his face distort into a grimace of disbelief.

"The Romance aisle," he grumbled to himself. "You've got to be kidding me."

"Kao-chan!" Honey cried. "Why won't you answer me?"

"Because this isn't something I really want to talk about at the moment, Honey-senpai. I'm just not interested in going," Kaoru said, taking a few hesitant steps forward and instantly feeling awkward. It was unlike any other aisle in the bookstore. This one had its own atmosphere of femininity, adoration, and a small hint of lust.

_I need to get the hell outta here. And fast_, Kaoru thought firmly.

"But it's so fun, Kao-chan! I'm sure you'll like it. Everyone is so nice and the cake is so yummy!" Honey went on, but he was only background noise at the moment.

Taking a deep breath, Kaoru strode forward and came to stand in front of the first book that caught his eye. It certainly was foreign to him compared to the plenty others he's read. The cover was dark with a pair of eyes staring back at him. Normally, he would've found it alarming, but these eyes were different. Their amber color matched his to a tee; they were sharp and cunning, but something was hidden deep within them.

Gingerly, he picked it up and read the back. He could feel his eyes widening as he skimmed over each word. The summary itself was thrilling, much to his surprise. Usually, he avoided this part of the bookstore, but now he was glad he gathered enough courage to come down here. After spending a few minutes in this row, it actually wasn't all that awkward for him. Strangely enough, he found it somewhat familiar and comforting. Kaoru felt at ease here.

"I'm getting this one," Kaoru stated. Once he said the words, he felt a small rush of positive emotion. He'd made the right decision in coming down here and picking this book. He just knew it.

Honey, however, wasn't paying attention to the new book his friend was going to purchase. Instead, he was much more into panicking over the fact that Kaoru had completely and utterly rejected going to the funnest place on the planet.

"Kao-chan! Why won't you go with me?" The small boy tugged on the tail swishing in front of him. "Just once? Please? For me?"

With a spring in his step, Kaoru weaved through the mass of people. It was amazing how many people were in here, how many nekos were in here. His kind wasn't treated very fairly by humans. They were cast aside to be ignored and shunned for being a hybrid. They were treated like trash and were constantly walked on.

It was hard for nekos to get a good paying job because of their species. They could be smart and talented, which most were due to their fast learning abilities, but it wouldn't matter. Humans were still in control, at the top of the food chain. If they didn't approve, it didn't happen. It was as simple as that.

Stores and schools often were the worst to be at. People would treat them rudely and sneer in their direction, call them names and offer up poor service. Kaoru understood why, too; his mother had explained it to him when he was younger, and he could even see it himself. Humans were jealous of them. They were naturally good looking, intelligent, and talented. Humans saw them as a threat, something unnatural.

So, as a way to keep nekos from gaining rule and becoming superior to them, they felt the need to control them. They were treated as slaves, kept by humans as pets. The owner of a neko had control over their whole life, meaning they got to choose everything for them and the neko would have to do whatever was asked or said, or punishment would follow. The only way you could go without being owned by a human, like Kaoru and Honey, was if you paid a monthly fee to keep your Independence Rights Card, or IRC, liable.

Unfortunately, with the lack of good jobs because of ignorant humans, it was difficult to prevent becoming a pet. The fee was expensive enough without monthly bills and groceries to worry about. Not to mention having to pay for other living necessities. With that said, nekos were often stuck with the dirty jobs. Some like janitors or prostitutes, and those didn't even pay well.

So you can see why Kaoru was so at awe with everyone around him. There wasn't even a slight argument that broke out, much to his relief. That made everything simpler and therefore they should be out of the bookstore in no time.

"I'll consider it, Honey-senpai." Kaoru grinned teasingly and flicked his short friend's ears. "But we still have a few days until Friday so I'll think about it until then."

"Oh, thank you, Kao-chan!" Honey-senpai cheered, glomping his friend. "I know you'll like it! It's so much fun and the boys there are so cute, too, just how you like them! The cake is really yummy, too!"

Kaoru blushed, his cheeks feeling like hot coals. "Honey! You don't have to announce that to the whole world, you know!"

"I know, but you're so cute all flustered, Kao-chan!"

He sighed and his ears twitched in annoyance. It wasn't unusual for someone, or Honey, to compliment him on his appearance. Nekos were exceptionally attractive, but Kaoru was known to be more feminine and sweet-looking. It often got him out of trouble with a small smile and a bat of the eyelashes. But it also got him into trouble.

Boy, if only he hadn't had to figure that out the hard way.

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**Ah~ Kaoru is just too cute! *glomps Kaoru* I love writing for him! It is such an honor! Anyway, like I said, the next chapters will be longer, but this is just to start us off. I had to give you guys a little insight on how people treat lovely nekos! It pained me to do so, but it'll be much more exciting this way!**

**I hope you enjoyed! Please review and tell me what you think! :)**

**-For My Personal Pleasure**


	3. Chapter 2

**I'm back with the next chapter! This one is a tad longer, but I think you'll like this one. It's sort of a leading-up chapter, I guess you could say. Anyway, enjoy!**

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**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own OHSHC!**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

_**Kyoya**_

"So I'll see Mommy tomorrow for brunch?" Tamaki whispered gently, rubbing his nose against his partner's cold one.

A small, rare smile worked itself onto Kyoya's face at the pleading puppy-dog look in his eyes. The close proximity was enough to add some color to his normally pale cheeks. It was during these sweet, blissful moments with Tamaki that he allowed his usual cold demeanor to melt away.

"Yes, Tamaki." Kyoya sighed, loving the closeness and ignoring the stupid 'Mommy' title Tamaki continuously forced onto him. "I should be done with the documents by then."

At this, the blonde prince beamed, warming the freezing gusts of wind. "Good. I'd be disappointed if otherwise."

"Don't I know it," Kyoya murmured before pulling back. "Now I have to go. You know Fuyumi wants me to pick something up for her at the bakery before I come home."

"Alright, but be careful?" offered Tamaki as he gave his cold hand a gentle squeeze.

"Of course."

And with that they bid a sweet farewell and parted ways. Tamaki climbed into his limo with one last concerned look before driving off. Kyoya gave a small wave before turning on his heel and started down the sidewalk.

It was a little after one in the morning, the streets were abandoned aside from a few night-owls and neko prostitutes, and cars. Some stores were lit up with neon signs and buzzed with drunken laughter and explosive music. Other than that, it was quite as it always was around this time. It was only Tuesday, well, technically Wednesday now. The streets usually thrived with life on the weekends.

Stuffing his hands into the pockets of his coat, Kyoya sighed, watching his air puff up in a form of a cloud in front of him. It was getting to be that time of year where the temperature was dropping by tens during the late hours. He was going to have to break it to Fuyumi that he wasn't going to be able to pick her up any more delacacies in this weather.

Kyoya pushed through the door of the bakery with a tinkle from the welcoming bell above. It was definitely warmer inside than it was outside. It wasn't just the temperature, either, but the bursting warm colors of the interior. Yellows and pinks and browns were so vibrant, it was almost as if they could peel off the wall and manifest into living beings.

"Kao-chan! Kao-chan! Can we get this one, too? Please? I'll buy groceries next week, I promise!" a voice burst through his mind with familiarity.

A soft, hushed tone joined it as well, one that he held no recognition to. "Honey-senpai, if I let you buy groceries, our cupboards would have nothing _but_ sweets in them."

Curious, Kyoya turned his head to find two familiar people leaning over a glass display. He could instantly recognize sandy blonde hair and golden neko traits sprouting from the smaller figure. The person next the short boy was someone he knew as well, or at least thought he did. The lanky posture and strawberry blonde hair were something he was no stranger to, but the matching cat ears and tail were another thing.

"Honey-senpai?" he heard himself call out. "Is that you?"

A blonde head twisted around and he was greeted with warm brown eyes. "Kyo-chan! It's so nice to see you! What brings you here?"

All though it was masked quite well, Kyoya noticed a small flicker of worry cross his face at seeing him, no matter what his tone was.

"Huh? Who?" the other person mumbled quietly, facing him as well.

Just as he was about to greet who he thought was the bartender for their Host club, Kyoya paused. This was definitely not the same mischievous redhead that was constantly tagging along with the females when they left. His face was too sweet and his eyes too innocent to be the same boy. The features were scarily identical, though, not counting the adorable cat features.

"I'm sorry for interrupting the two of you," Kyoya began, "let me introduce myself." He held out a black gloved-hand. "Kyoya Ootori, head of the Ootori line of hospitals and self-defense. And you are?"

There was a brief moment of hesitation. "Kaoru Hashimoto, best friend and roomate of Honey-senpai. It's nice to meet you, Kyoya." A hand gripped his carefully as they shook.

"It's always a pleasure to meet a friend of Honey's." They released hands. "To answer your question, Honey-senpai, Fuyumi asked me to pick up her order of cupcakes for her office party tomorrow. You know how she is."

"Cupcakes? Kao-chan, do you think-"

"No. We already have enough as it is. I can barely hold them all," Kaoru laughed, a sweet, delicate sound. "Plus, don't you want to stay warm this week? If we keep buying this many sweets, we won't have enough money for heat."

Honey pouted, his ears curling against his round head. "Okay..."

"So you said you were Honey-senpai's roomate," Kyoya pointed out.

Though it wasn't necessarily a question, he answered, "Yeah, I am. I have been for the past year and a half since high school."

Kyoya made a mental note of this and continued. "Has he mentioned to you of the club I work at?"

A small groan fell out of his mouth. "Don't tell me that you're inviting me also."

"Is that a problem?"

"No, no!" A flurry of hands reassured him. "It's just that he's been pestering me about it and about meeting his boyfriend for the past few weeks. I would be lying if I denied that it sounded like something I wasn't interested in."

"And why is that?" Kyoya quizzed, growing more and more interested with this new creature before him.

"It's because he's busy all the time! He says he's either busy with work or busy with studying for tests! It's always some excuse," Honey butted in, sounding pitiful.

"It isn't my fault that we have bills to pay and groceries to buy and an IRC to keep anew. If none of those were necessary then I would consider going."

This caused a loud outburst. "You said you would consider anyway!"

Kaoru blushed and fumbled for words. Thankfully, Kyoya came to his rescue...kind of.

"You should take our offer into consideration. After all, you seem like you would fit right in with the people there. It's the only way you could pay Honey back for being such a good friend to you, is it not? Didn't his boyfriend help pay for your college textbooks?" Now that he was listening to Kaoru and getting to know him somewhat, he was beginning to remember bits and pieces of things Honey has mentioned of a few of his close friends outside the Host club.

"Y-yes, but - hey! How did you know that?!" Kaoru squeaked.

"I have my sources, of course," Kyoya muttered, adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose. Normally, he wouldn't go this far as to blackmail someone into coming to their club, but Kaoru was turning into someone completely appealing. He could actually provide a bartender of theirs a bit of entertainment for a little bit of time, which would certainly help with their money profits. Hikaru has been awfully distracted lately. Maybe a new - familiar face could change that.

When Kaoru realized this was all he was going to get for an answer, he sighed, his shoulders deflating. "I suppose I could drop in for a few minutes. It doesn't seem like I've got any plans on Friday anyway. Minori's giving me the day off from the diner, too."

"Good," Kyoya smirked. "I guess I will see you Friday night. I must be leaving, it's getting so late and Fuyumi will begin to worry, if she isn't sleeping that is."

"Okay, Kyo-chan! I'll be seeing you later!" Honey cheered, his tailing wiggling behind him.

Kaoru only nodded a goodbye as he juggled the containers of already-paid for desserts in his arms. Together, the two of them braced themselves for the cold before dashing out into the night, Honey hastily throwing another salutation over his shoulder.

Thinking to himself quietly, Kyoya walked up to the counter and told them his pre-paid order. The neko behind the counter scampered off, her coffee-colored tail sweeping gracefully behind her. She came back with two boxes full. She opened them up and offered him an inspection. When he deemed them perfect enough for his sister, the girl sealed them back up.

"Here you go, sir," she smiled. "Have a nice night."

Kyoya took the boxes, which proved to be heavier than appearance, and headed out without a farewell. His body didn't register the cold as he was too busy concentrating on not dropping the boxes and thinking about Kaoru. He couldn't shake the feeling that Friday was going to confirm to be an amusing night.

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**So there you have it! Chapter 2! Like I said, it's a leading-up chapter, not very long or exciting, but hey. It's better than nothing, right? I hope you liked it:) Don't forget to leave me a review! Tell me what you think!**

**-For My Personal Pleasure**


	4. Chapter 3

**Okay, so I know this is really soon after my previous update, but I couldn't hold it in anymore! I finished this chapter as soon as I updated last time. I know. I'm horrible for keeping it in for so long. I'm shameful.**

**Special Thanks To: ****_Reviews~_**

**Tamachankick10**

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**Also, this needs to be said, thank you to all of those who are reading! I really appreciate it! :)**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own OHSHC!**

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**Chapter 3**

_**Hikaru**_

A loud beeping sounded off from somewhere next to his ear, jarring him awake. It was loud and annoying and continuous, and was giving him a much unneeded headache. Well, adding more pain to his growing headache. It seems like he'd gotten drunk again last night considering the familiar hammering in his skull.

"Oops," a high-pitched voice giggled. "I forgot to turn that off. Sorry, sweetie."

Hikaru groaned, shoving his pounding head underneath the pillow. He felt like utter shit. His tongue was glued to the roof of his mouth with liquor residue and foreign saliva scum that mixed with his own gathering drool. It felt as though sand was painted onto his eyeballs; his limbs felt overused and abused. Totally disgusting and utterly shitty for sure.

Fingernails walked across the bare skin of his shoulder blades teasingly. "What do you say about another round before you have to go?" Hina purred in his ear, her foul morning breath clogging his nostrils.

As much as Hikaru wanted to swat her away and tell her off, he knew he couldn't. Kyoya would have his head for sure if he were to _displease _a customer. And that was his job; he was suppose to be the flirty, cunning bartender that occupied the empty space in their customers beds at night, pleasuring them and making them happy. Which he did, but it was becoming a nuisance now. He wanted more than one-night stands and drunken blurs. He wanted more, something he could-

"Hikaru? Are you sleeping?" her voice sliced through his thoughts like a smack to the face. She was beginning to irritate him now, even more so than before.

He cleared his throat and grumbled through the guck in his mouth. "No, I'm awake."

Hina perked up, sliding closer to him, cuddling into his side like a leech. He had to resist the urge to throw her into the wall. Hikaru loved to cuddle - no, he _adored_ it with his whole being - but she wasn't the one he wanted to snuggle with. She was absolutely nothing he wanted out of a lover.

"How about giving it another go?" she persisted, her tail stroking the side of his bare body. Her tongue snaked out and tasted the curve of his exposed neck. "It would be a nice way to start off the day, hmm?"

"As tempting as that is," he hummed, "isn't Mr. Ishikawa coming home today? It wouldn't end very good if he were to find us like _that_ now would it?"

She mewed quietly in fear. "I suppose you're right. Last time he caught us, I wasn't allowed to eat dinner for a week. He can be such a cruel master."

"Indeed, he sounds like it. How could such a pretty little thing such as yourself get stuck with an ass like him?" Hikaru offered in false concern.

"I don't know," she whined. "Life just isn't fair. I wish you could be my master instead. I bet you would find a much more...pleasurable way to punish me."

Hikaru hid his grimace in disgust under the pillow. _Damn nekos_, he thought. _The whole lot of them disgust me_. "Ah, yes, I bet I could. I'm known for my creative mind after all, you know."

"I bet," she growled playfully. "Wanna show me how creative?"

"I wish I could, but I do have to go. I've got things to do today before club hours start." With that, Hikaru pushed the pillow aside and got up, stretching as he did. Standing, he began to retrieve his clothes that were strewn around the room. Behind him, he could hear Hina purring in appreciation at the sight of him.

When he began to dress himself, Hina took that as a sign that nothing more was going to happen that morning and began to clean up the room. She stripped the sheets to wash them, hiding any evidence of their activities last night. Even if Mr. Ishikawa didn't see Hikaru, he would definitely know that she'd been up to something when he was gone if he found his room in such a disaster.

By the time Hikaru pulled his shirt over his head and finished dressing, he wanted to vomit at the still-lingering taste of last night in his mouth. He also yearned to climb back under the covers and sleep the aching pain in his muscles away.

"Do you have any mouthwash?" Hikaru stuck his head out into the hallway, calling out to her from her position in the laundry room.

"Yeah," she hollered back, "it's in the bathroom cabinet."

He grabbed the green bottle in the bathroom, tossing back the liquid and swishing it around his mouth. He wanted to clean every crack and crevice that Hina might've tainted with her grimy tongue. She tasted awful, one of the worst that he's bedded with. He did this process an additional three times because, hello! Third times the charm, that's what they always say. And he didn't feel like walking around all day with the taste of desperate neko in his mouth.

Hikaru exited the bathroom and slipped into his shoes. Noticing his iPhone on the floor with his earbuds tightly secured around them, he snatched it up, stuffing it into his pocket hastily. It would be a damn shame if Hina had found it before he did. Knowing nekos, he knew they had sticky hands.

"Are you leaving?" Hina asked from the doorway. She already changed back into her skimpy maid outfit Mr. Ishikawa made her wear as part of his reign over her.

"Yeah, I've got everything I need," Hikaru muttered. He tried to make his tone sound as reluctant as possible to mask his eagerness to get the hell out of there. Although he didn't hold much respect for them, he also knew that nekos were smart and could pick up on a lot of things.

"Okay, I'll see you later then. Goodbye." She pecked his cheek at the door, daring to lick the side of his jaw flirtatiously.

Without a goodbye, Hikaru left. He didn't waste anytime in getting into his car and taking off. He hadn't been lying when he told her that he had other things to do. It was Wednesday, and he did all his necessities on Wednesdays. Why? Because it was smack dab in the middle of the week. Perfect day to get everything done.

First thing at the top of his list was to pick up snacks for this Friday. Mori-senpai had told them all that his boyfriend Honey was coming to the club, who was the only neko Hikaru could tolerate, and Tamaki had assigned him with the task of picking up a shit ton of sweets for him.

Kyoya had told him of a small, well-known bakery that had a lot of variety of desserts. Hikaru only trusted this place because he knew that Kyoya went there himself to pick up snacks for his older sister, who Kyoya actually liked unlike his older brothers.

This bakery was on a cramped, busy street that was lined with tiny shops and stores. It was common street in Tokyo, one that was always thriving with people and nekos of all kinds. There was even apartment buildings nestled among the shops. They weren't tall; actually, if you didn't look closely, you would've mistaken them for other stores as well.

Hikaru drove his car up the levels of a parking garage, finding a clear spot in the crowded place. Normally he would've parked his car in front of shops, but this street was so crowded with people that it was impossible. There wasn't even asphalt to drive on, it was just sidewalk line with shrubbery and gardens and stores.

He made his way quickly and quietly through the streets, weaving through the mass of people. Purses bumped into him, fluffy tails brushed against him. Chatter and hisses and music filled the air. The scent of new books, detergent, sweat, and frosting wafted around him. Hikaru just wanted to get the food and leave; it was all making his headache worse.

Entering the bakery, he was tempted to just turn on his heel and get the hell out of there. The bright colors were bothering his eyes, and a majority of the costumers in there were cat hybrids.

_Damn Kyoya_, Hikaru thought hostile.

Rushing, Hikaru ordered the list of sweets Mori-senpai gave him, paying for the snacks that the blonde catboy liked best. It was no surprise to him that a majority of the treats were cakes of some sort.

"Thank you and have a nice day!" the girl chirped to him, her ears twitching gleefully.

Hikaru said nothing as he grabbed the plastic bags from the counter and hefted them away. He managed to carry them all with one hand as he considered what all he had to do next while he walked down the street.

He was just about to turn onto an adjacent street when something caught his eye. A flash of strawberry blonde caught his eye. As you can imagine, it wasn't a normal color you saw around Japan so it was only natural that Hikaru would stop in his tracks and look.

The person had been pushing past him and into the Laundromat next to the bakery when Hikaru noticed him. It wasn't the hair that had attracted his attention or the distinct scent of vanilla, it was his face. It was _his_ face, Hikaru's own face on someone else! The sight had been truly shocking, enough to cause him to double-take. Enough to cause him to chase after the other boy through the crowd while carrying three different bags packed full of treats.

It was enough for Hikaru to stand outside the Laundromat and search the interior through the huge windows outside for the one person that looked like an exact replica of himself.

* * *

**Yes! I added a bit of a twist to our situation! Hikaru does NOT like nekos:) Ah~ I bet no one was expecting that! Okay, maybe a few of you frickin' GENIUSES were, but still. It hit me like a lightning rod and I thought it could be used in the near future:) Ah, and I did add a Hikaru POV (obviously. Stupid me.). I thought it was time to add insight from our beloved lonely Romeo! And what's this? Seeing Kaoru?! ON THE STREETS?! Gosh. Full of surprises!**

**So, I wouldn't mind hearing what you guys have to say. I do like hearing your opinions and with all this new stuff, I bet a lot of your reactions are hilarious:) So, please, leave a review!**

**-For My Personal Pleasure**


	5. Chapter 4

**You know what? I promised longer chapters, and I'm here to keep that promise! I couldn't stop writing this when I started. I had to tell myself to stop and save some of it for the next chapter. Hope you like it!**

**Special Thanks To: ****_Reviews~_**

**EternalFalsity, Tamachankick10, and MR. RUBY DOO**

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**kitty2neko**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own OHSHC!**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

_**Hikaru**_

Hikaru was becoming a bit of a stalker some would say. For those who did, they were sadly mistaken. See, a stalker was someone who followed another individual around wherever they went. However, in Hikaru's case, it wasn't that easy.

After seeing his doppelgänger, the thought of someone else looking exactly like him seemed suspicious. Not only was it questionable, but it was confusing, too. How could he be certain that it wasn't just a mistake? Surely his eyes were playing tricks on him. Maybe he caught a quick glimpse of himself in a store window and went jumping to conclusions like usual.

Still, it all seemed too real for it to be just another mistake. The hair was too unusual and soft-looking for it to be just a mere reflection. The height may have been something to doubt, but he was unsure. He had lost his look-alike the moment he stepped into the Laundromat. No matter how long Hikaru had looked inside, he didn't find his mirror image.

He hadn't given up, of course. Hikaru was never one to give up, especially if he set his mind to it. And this was something that was going to be taken seriously. He didn't understand why he felt such a strong need to find this other person, but maybe it was just to reassure himself that he wasn't losing his mind.

After finishing up everything that had been planned Wednesday, Hikaru had sent himself to work. Sure he purposefully and willingly surrounded himself with nekos, but he was on a mission. He couldn't allow such an annoying species bother him now. No, this was too important.

For the remainder of that day until club hours began, he had spent his hours roaming the common street, poking his head into the buildings and stores. He grazed the crowded with his eyes, skimming and searching for another strawberry blonde head, his face, and a vanilla scent. Those two things were the only things he had to rely on. He hadn't caught a good enough glimpse at his clothes or anything else for that matter.

Thursday came by the next day. He woke up in a foreign bed, a woman strewn over him, drunk and exhausted. Hikaru had managed to slip out from underneath her, dress, and sneak out without even waking her up. Not wasting the day away, he made it to his mansion, showering and changing before heading out for another day of Twin Hunting. Today was going to be way more successful than yesterday for sure. He could feel it.

While he was out looking around, Hikaru thought he might as well past the time by actually thoroughly checking out each store. The shops proved to be really interesting, surprisingly. They held all sorts of electronics, games, knick-knacks, etc. It was hard not to leave with a few bags.

It happened when he was exiting a small souvenir shop. Hikaru had been smiling at a small trinket in his hands when he glanced up in time to see a familiar figure walk into a small diner across the street from where he stood.

There was no hesitating. Hikaru just went for it. He pushed his way through the flow of people, ignoring hisses and grumpy shouts. Although he was trying to be polite about bumping into people, his patience was quickly evaporating. By the time he made his way across the street, he was seething and ready to punch someone in the nuts.

Unceremoniously, Hikaru shoved his way inside, huffing and puffing. The diner was small and cute, like many of the shops on the common street. There were several of those small, round white tables that were surround by two to three pink chairs. There were pictures and paintings of various things that hung on pink-and-white striped walls: the Eiffel tower, a litter of puppies, a basket of lemons, and even some stuffed bunnies flying in air balloons.

Ducking through a white door while carrying a couple boxes was the exact person Hikaru was looking for.

"Wait!" he cried out, causing a few families in the pink booths to eye him oddly. "Come back!"

He must not have heard him because the next thing Hikaru was looking at was the white door swish back and forth before closing. Alarmed, Hikaru dashed to the counter, his feet pounding onto the tiles.

"Hey, do you know where that guy went?" he blurted to the young boy behind the counter. He ignored the fact that black ears were protruding from the top of his head.

The boy, who looked about thirteen, looked at him curiously. "Who?"

"The one that looks like me!" Hikaru exclaimed in irritation. "Where did he go?"

"Oh! You mean Kaoru," the boy beamed. "His shift just ended a few minutes ago. He had to bring in the box of eggs from the market, but he should be gone by now. Can I leave a message for you?"

* * *

_**Kaoru**_

Kaoru jiggled the rusty key in the lock, hoping like hell that he would be ready in time for Honey's boyfriend to pick them up. Today was Friday and though Kyoya and Honey had given him the choice to come to the Host club, Kaoru knew that that wasn't the case. He would've been forced to go anyway.

Throwing his shoulder into the door, knowing that a bruise would form later on, Kaoru burst into his apartment, stumbling. Hastily, he unwound the scarf around his neck, throwing his coat and scarf on the rack next to the door before kicking off his boots.

"Honey-senpai?" Kaoru called out. He made his way around the couch and table, sifting through the mail as he headed towards the kitchen. "Are you home?"

"Yeah! I'm busy getting ready!" he heard a sweet voice answer.

Shaking his head, he threw the mail down onto the counter. The mail consisted of bills, IRC renewal reminders, and a fashion magazine. It was nothing that needed to be looked at immediately.

"Okay, I'll be in the bath!" he told his roommate, moving down the small hall to the bathroom.

Their apartment wasn't the biggest or nicest one in Tokyo, but it was all they had. It was pretty decent, really, better than most apartments most nekos ended up with. Actually, they were in one of the best apartment buildings that they were allowed to live in, all due to Mori-senpai's generosity. The furniture was a few years old, a few stains here and there from spaghetti nights. The hardwood floors were scuffed in some places, but otherwise fine. Instead of drywalls, they had brick walls which weren't that useful when it came to hanging up pictures. Not so rich and classy, but it was a place they could call home.

The bath was somewhat pleasant, something that quickly eased the tension out of his muscles. Their apartment wasn't built with a shower; none of the neko apartment buildings were. Showers were a luxury that they _apparently_ didn't deserve. Besides, the humans had a reason, or so they claimed, for sticking them with just plain old bathtubs. They said that with them being part feline, they naturally had an aversion to water, which Kaoru had to admit was true. So, with that fact stated, the humans built their apartment buildings with baths, saying that it would help them adjust to being more accustomed to water by being surrounded by it.

But to Kaoru, it was just another way they could poke fun at their species.

He wasn't as much of a stranger to water as some of the others out there. His mother had bathed him regularly as a child, telling him that a clean neko was a liked neko. In some aspects that could be considered true. He knew hygiene was something that people respected, and he could always just clean himself publicly with his tongue, but that was something that was frowned upon by the human society.

Nonetheless, he allowed himself to accept the water and wash himself up. Today had been insane, though he had the day of at the diner. Thursday, his professor had assigned his class a project due in two weeks, and Kaoru, being the naturally good student he was, thought that he would just go ahead and get it over with. So today he had visited the library for research, knowing that the topic he had gotten stuck with wasn't something he could easily find on the internet. Unfortunately, the library had been crawling with people. It was unbelievably busy on a Friday at that. Of course, the crowd and rush of people was obviously stressful.

"Hurry up, Kao-chan! I gotta brush my teeth!" Honey yelled from the other side of the door.

"I'm getting there, calm down," Kaoru muttered under his breath, drying himself off. He took his time drying, making sure to sweep away any dots of water that clung to him. Being wet was something he was too fond of.

He left the water to drain, unlocking the door and starting up the hair-dyer. Honey plowed over him, nearly pouncing on the sink for his toothbrush. Soon the sounds of furiously teeth scrubbing and hot bursts of air were all that was heard. It was peaceful, or would be had Kaoru's stomach hadn't erupted with butterflies.

Putting the hairdryer up, Kaoru scurried to his room. His time was running out and he was going to have to get dressed quickly before Mori showed up. That proved to be easier said than done.

"Honey, what should I wear?" Kaoru panicked, dashing to his friend. "I can't decide what to wear! I have to look good!"

"I thought Kao-chan said that appearances didn't matter," Honey sang tauntingly. "Plus, Kao-chan doesn't need help to look cute."

"Honey, this is serious! I did say that, but first impressions are important, right? You want me to meet some of your new friends and I have to make a good impression, no?" Kaoru offered helplessly. "Please?"

"Okay! I'll help!" Honey-senpai grinned, hoping off the bar stool by the counter and sauntering off towards Kaoru's cubby-sized bedroom. He rummaged through his drawers and closet, tossing the garments and clothing behind him onto the bed. He had completely ignored the two outfits lying on the bed already.

"There! You should definitely wear this one. It'll make you look great!" he chirped, his fluffy tail twirling in the air behind him in triumph.

Kaoru glanced at it, measuring it up and picturing it in his mind. "Why this? It's so thick."

"Because you look so cute all bundled up and it's gonna be cold outside," Honey told him matter-of-factly. For extra effect, he placed his hands on his hips with confidence.

He sighed. "Fine. I'll wear it. Now get out! We don't wanna be late waiting on me, do we?"

Not giving him a chance to answer, he shoved his cute-loving friend out the door, gracelessly closing it behind him. Kaoru wasted no time dressing, letting the soft clothes cling to him. He hustled around his room, adding the finishing touches, combing through his already flawless hair once more.

"Kao-chan! Takashi's here!"

Glancing into his mirror, Kaoru scanned over himself once more, looking for any flaws. For a change, there wasn't any. His light gray sweater was snuggly and loose, matching perfectly with dark skinny jeans. Securing the jeans that were still a bit big around the waist was a leather belt, the same color of his boots. Sure they might be girl boots, but he was already part cat and judged enough as it was, might as well be comfortable with who he was while he's at it.

_I should let Honey-senpai pick out my outfits more often_, Kaoru nodded appreciatively before exiting his room.

Standing in their living room was probably the tallest man he's ever seen. His face was clear of emotion, but it was a little relaxed due to a very cheerful and excited Honey buzzing around him. His dark hair and eyes gave him a completely serious and mysterious look that made him even more frightening than his height.

"Kao-chan, this is Takashi! Takashi, this is Kao-chan, the one I've been telling you about!" Honey introduced, his hands gesturing everywhere.

Eyes pierced him, eyebrows rising slightly in small surprise. Mori didn't do much except nod his head and grumble out, "I can see why you waited."

"Huh?" The kitty ears on his head twitched in curiosity. "Waited for what?"

"Waited to introduce you to everyone. Tama-chan likes cute things too, and I wanted to wait until club hours to bring you. That way he doesn't do anything crazy while his princesses are around."

Kaoru nodded and stuck out his hand. "Nice to meet you, by the way. I've heard a lot of things about you, and I've been meaning to give my thanks for everything you've done for us in person, so thank you."

Honey's boyfriend took his hand, gripping it firmly. "Don't thank me. You are Mitsukuni's friend."

"Still," Kaoru shrugged, "it's very generous of you."

"Okay, okay! Are we done now? Kao-chan still has everyone else to meet at the club! Let's _go_!"

And with that, Kaoru and Takashi were pushed outside and into the cold twilight, and all the way into the chic limo to be driven to the more busier part of Tokyo.

* * *

_**Kyoya**_

"Can you not find something else more annoying to occupy yourself with?" Kyoya snapped, trying desperately to ignore the smirking redhead beside him. Hikaru wouldn't leave him alone today for whatever the reason. He was bored, yes, but there something peculiar by the way he was acting today. He seemed like he was holding something back from him, from anyone, like a secret or something he's recently discovered.

Whatever the hell it was, Kyoya wanted nothing to do with it.

"No," Hikaru replied with a cocky grin. "Boss is playing with my toy and Mori-senpai isn't here yet with his boyfriend. You're the only one left."

Kyoya felt a blood vessel in his forehead twitch in agitation. _Kaoru better be coming tonight. If not, I don't think I'll be able to stop myself from killing him_, he thought viciously. He typed roughly on his laptop. "Why don't you set up your station? Are the glasses even washed for the princesses?"

Hikaru scoffed. "Duh, I finished them all earlier. I don't have seven million things to do to make sure everything is set like you do, O Great Shadow King." He even had the nerve to mock a bow.

However, Kyoya was no longer paying him any attention. Instead, he was reading the screen of his phone with a faint, satisfied smile. His night and sanity had been saved. In just a few short minutes, the club would open and Hikaru would be whisked away from his side to attend to his station behind the bar, and he would also be blown away by a brand new guest of theirs.

On the screen of his phone was an opened text from Honey-senpai. It read:

_We're on our way! And good news, Kyo-chan! Kao is coming! He looks extra cute, just like you asked! :)_

"That's good," the Shadow King mumbled. "They should be here any minute now."

"Who should? Are we having new guests?" Hikaru wondered, leaning over his shoulder.

Before he could read the text and ask who Kaoru was, Kyoya shut the phone off, slipping it back into his pocket with a smirk of his own as he watched Hikaru pout in annoyance.

* * *

**What a long chapter! I hope you guys like it! So many POVs:) This is just leading up to Kaoru and Hikaru's first (official) encounter! Is anyone else excited, or is it just me?**

**Hope you liked~ Please review! :)**

**-For My Personal Pleasure**


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